Mass Timber Construction Podcast

The latest Mass Timber Construction Podcast delivers breaking news from around the globe, celebrating groundbreaking achievements in sustainable wooden architecture. Host Paul Kramer highlights several milestone projects reshaping our built environment through innovative timber solutions. Utah's Baltic Point has just made history, becoming the state's first mass timber building to reach 100% occupancy. Located in the heart of Silicon Slopes tech hub, this sustainable structure has attracted venture capital firms, consumer retail companies, and defense manufacturers, proving the market's growing appetite for eco-conscious workspaces. Meanwhile, the newly completed Kilowana International Airport terminal showcases British Columbia's leadership in timber design and construction, demonstrating how large-scale infrastructure can embrace sustainability without compromise. Scientific validation continues to power the mass timber revolution, with Nature Communications publishing comprehensive research confirming what industry leaders have long advocated: widespread adoption of engineered timber products positively impacts carbon storage while potentially expanding forests. This research aligns with projects like the Ruby Falls headquarters and Skanska's AI Research Building at New York's Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory—both exemplifying how timber construction meets rigorous performance standards while delivering environmental benefits. The podcast also highlights the Rothoblast Build the Impossible competition, challenging designers to explore hybrid steel-timber combinations that represent the future of construction: using "the right material in the right place for the right purpose, at the right time, in the right amounts." Ready to join the sustainable building revolution? Check out the Build the Impossible contest and follow the podcast's LinkedIn feed for striking images of completed projects mentioned in this episode. Subscribe to stay informed about global developments in mass timber construction and be part of the movement transforming our built environment one wooden building at a time. Send us a text Support the show

Exciting developments are taking shape across the global mass timber landscape, with remarkable projects making headlines from Toronto to Oakland, Massachusetts to Colorado. The University of Toronto's academic tower has reached an impressive milestone—ten floors complete with five more to go—showcasing the structural ingenuity of timber construction with its striking bracing elements and advancing façade work. The affordable housing sector continues embracing mass timber, with OWAL requesting approval for an 11-story development in downtown Oakland that would bring nearly 300 affordable units to the heart of the city. This project builds on OWAL's successful completion of a 19-story mass timber tower nearby, demonstrating how engineered wood can address critical housing needs while enhancing urban sustainability. Meanwhile, Toronto's innovative residential project at Halsap on Royal York blends a reinforced concrete core with mass timber structural elements in a 9-story building that started construction in March 2025. Perhaps most fascinating are the emerging applications for mass timber. The newly opened Doris Duke Theater at Jacob Pillow represents an architectural phoenix, rising from the ashes of the original venue destroyed by fire in 2020. This 400-seat performance space combines the warmth of timber with cutting-edge technical capabilities. Similarly groundbreaking, recent research reveals engineered wood demonstrates superior microbial resistance compared to plastic—even after getting wet—potentially revolutionising hospital design approaches. Add to this CU Boulder's groundbreaking on a mass timber Chemistry and Applied Mathematics facility designed to be one of the university's most energy-efficient buildings, and it's clear that mass timber continues pushing boundaries across sectors and applications. Subscribe, share, and join us each week for more inspiring developments from around the world of mass timber construction. Have an academic manuscript? We welcome submissions for review and possible publication in our journal! Send us a text Support the show

Five years strong! The Mass Timber Construction Podcast celebrates this milestone by exploring the most exciting developments transforming the built environment through sustainable wood technologies. The adaptive reuse revolution continues with London's New Wave House by Thomas McBriden Architects. This thoughtful vertical expansion features a glulam timber pavilion atop an existing industrial building, preserving architectural character while creating nearly 800 square meters of flexible workspace for local businesses. The project exemplifies the craftsmanship-centered approach possible with mass timber, with components manufactured in the contractor's own joinery workshop. Mass timber's versatility shines in specialized applications, notably at Washington School for the Deaf. This groundbreaking facility incorporates DeafSpace principles with CLT elements designed specifically for visual communication needs. Eight-foot-wide corridors allow for sign language conversations while walking, and horseshoe-configured classrooms provide double the standard space per learner, demonstrating how engineered wood can support inclusive, community-focused design. Corporate America continues its timber transformation with Walmart's new Bentonville headquarters emerging as the nation's largest mass timber corporate campus. At 83,380 square meters across four hybrid buildings, it joins Google and other major corporations embracing sustainable construction at scale. Meanwhile, manufacturing capacity grows with Klasnikov's new 100,000 square foot prefabrication facility in British Columbia—itself built from the company's own mass timber products. The academic world advances timber innovation too, with MSU's Sandra Lupien securing a prestigious Fulbright Award to conduct mass timber policy research in Finland during 2025-2026. Her work represents the growing global collaboration driving the future of sustainable construction. Want to contribute to this exciting field? Submit your research to our international journal—free to publish, free to access, and offering extensive exposure across our podcast and social media platforms. Subscribe, share, and join us in building a more sustainable future through mass timber innovation! Send us a text Support the show

The world of mass timber construction is reaching extraordinary new heights—literally! This week we explore groundbreaking developments that showcase how engineered wood is revolutionizing modern architecture and sustainable building practices worldwide. At the forefront is Milwaukee's ambitious Neutral Edison project, set to become the Western Hemisphere's tallest mass timber structure upon completion in 2027. This 38-story marvel will feature 353 high-end apartments and numerous eco-friendly innovations, eclipsing the current record-holder just 1.5 miles away. Meanwhile, Portland's manufacturing landscape is evolving as ZUG Timber Solutions secures a long-term lease to operate a mass timber modular factory, transforming a former marine terminal into a hub for sustainable construction innovation and job creation. Across the Pacific, Perth prepares for one of the world's tallest hybrid timber towers with Rothy Lohman's stunning design for 351 build-to-rent apartments. The project's pioneering hybrid construction system combines cross-laminated timber with concrete cores, promising reduced environmental impact while delivering spaces filled with natural warmth. In Canada, milestone moments include the arrival of mass timber materials for Prince Edward County Memorial Hospital and the Ontario government's release of an ambitious Advanced Wood Construction Action Plan that prioritizes local timber use for faster, better homebuilding. We've gathered visual documentation of these exciting developments on our LinkedIn feed, including in-construction photos of Sydney's innovative Atlassian building with its six discrete habitat levels. Whether you're a design professional, developer, or simply fascinated by sustainable construction, these projects demonstrate how rapidly mass timber is transforming our built environment. Subscribe now, share your thoughts in the comments, and join us next week for more cutting-edge developments in the world of mass timber construction! Send us a text Support the show